Obituaries

BARBARA ANN SMITH Aug. 28, 1937 – Feb. 14, 2024

Barbara Ann Smith, age 86, of White Rock, New Mexico, formerly of Roosevelt, Utah, passed away February 14, 2024, in Los Alamos, New Mexico, surrounded by all her children.

Barbara was born August 28, 1937, in San Antonio, Texas, to James Marvin and Olga Mae Wallis Boring.

Barbara attended school and graduated from Sacred Heart Catholic High School for girls in San Antonio Texas. At age twenty-two she was an airline stewardess for Delta Airlines when she met Bob Rock who worked for Braniff Airlines. Bob was twenty-three when they had a son, Thomas Michael. Read More

FRANCES M. BERTING, PhD Feb. 23, 2024

Frances M. Berting, PhD of Los Alamos County Council fame (she served two terms) passed away quietly in her sleep February 23, 2024.

Fran was on the Los Alamos County Council during the repairs of Los Alamos after the Cerro Grande fire and an active member of the group that established Los Alamos, Hanford and Oak Ridge as the Manhattan Project National Parks. She was a firm believer in and defender of further research and civilian use of atomic power.

Prior to moving to New Mexico, she was an active Republican in Benton County, Washington. She also worked for the Read More

JESSE RICHARD LEE Sept. 7, 1932 – Feb. 25 2034

 Jesse Lee, age 91, passed away Sunday Feb. 25, 2024 in Huntsville. Ala.  Jesse was born Sept. 7, 1932 in Hartford, CT.

Jesse grew up on a farm in Coventry, CT with nine brothers and sister and graduated from Windham High School in 1950. Jesse served in the USN Submarine Service conducting reconnaissance patrols between Sakhalin Island and Vladivostok USSR from 1950 to 1953.

Jesse married his childhood sweetheart Mary Kelley in 1953 and resided in S. Coventry, CT until 1961 when they moved to Los Alamos, NM. They raised their family in Los Alamos and had Read More

DAVID SCRAFFORD WATERS Jan. 8, 1949 – Feb. 25, 2024

A great “dad joke” writer has left us too soon. David Scrafford Waters entered eternal life February 25, 2024, after a hard-fought battle from complications due to his recent cancer surgery.

Dave was born in January 1949 in Daytona Beach, Florida to Henry and Margaret Waters. He enlisted in the US Navy as an electronics technician on the US Hamner Destroyer from 1967 to 1971. Following the Navy, he worked at Bendix Field Engineering as a hydraulics service technician during the Apollo XV Space Program. He was later employed by the Santa Fe Railroad Read More

DONALD R. MACHEN May 30, 1936 – Dec. 30, 2023

Donald R. Machen left this earth on Dec. 30, 2023, just after hearing the music of bagpipes while surrounded by his wife and children.

He was preceded in death by his parents, C. Raymond Machen and Myrtle Elizabeth Canny, and is survived by his wife of sixty-three years, Judy; son Jonathan (Paige); daughter Patty (Michael); four grandchildren; and a loving group of close relatives.

Born in California’s Bay Area eighty-seven years ago, he received BS and MS degrees in electrical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and served in Read More

WEI CHEU ‘JOYCE’ RIDLON Nov. 5, 1939 – Feb. 22, 2024

Wei Cheu “Joyce” Ridlon was born November 5, 1939, in Tachia City, Taiwan, the first daughter of Wang Tsu-Nan and Wang Shiou-chu. She had one older brother and eight younger brothers and sisters, four of which still reside in Taiwan. She grew up during the Japanese rule of Taiwan in the subsequent years of WWII, which was followed by the turbulent takeover and rule of Taiwan by Chang Kai-Shek.

She was taught to speak basic English at a religious mission in her hometown and was a self-taught hair stylist and seamstress. She was also fluent in Mandarin, Read More

DONALD ELDEN CARTER Dec. 29, 1944 – Feb. 11, 2024

Don Carter, age 79, died February 11, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Don was born December 29, 1944, in La Junta, Colorado.

Preceded in death by parents Bill and Dorothy Carter, sister-in-law Roberta Carter, step-mother Letha Carter, and step-brother J.D. Scofield.

Survived by wife Donna Carter, daughter, Donnette (Jeff) Lewis, granddaughter Rachel (Michael Owen) Ehler, great granddaughter Piper Owen, brother Melvin Carter, step-sisters Gwen Richardson and Michelle (Alan) Strong, sister-in-law LaWanna (Leonard) Hendrickson, and multiple Read More

GAYLE ELLIOT March 16, 1943 – Feb. 19, 2024

Gayle Mortensen Connor Elliott of Los Ranchos, New Mexico passed away Monday, Feb. 19, 2024 after a battle with Atypical Parkinsons Disease.

She was born in Manti, Utah March 16, 1943 to Fred and Bonnie Mortensen. Her father was in the U.S. Army Air Forces and was stationed in various places around the world. Gayle and her brother Fred were raised in Utah, Texas, Illinois, Japan, North Carolina, Paris France, and Maryland where she graduated from High School. In 1961, the family moved to Albuquerque where her father was stationed following his heart attack. Read More

CHARLES RAMSEY May 23, 1935 – Feb. 18, 2024

Charles Witzel Ramsey, age 88, passed away on Sunday, February 18, 2024, in Rexburg, Idaho. He was born, May 23, 1935, in Ducktown, Tennessee, to Julia Frances Cain Ramsey and William Henry Ramsey.  He was the 9th of 11 children. He married his sweetheart in Elko, Nevada. They were later sealed in the Manti Temple on Aug. 22, 1978.

He is survived by his sister, Claire Jean; and his four children, Clay Ramsey (Cindy), Lucinda Ramsey Torrez (Jody), Ryan Ramsey, Kevin Ramsey (Kay), his 16 grandchildren and 35 great grandchildren.

Charles grew up in Ducktown Read More

MYRNA JOY STRONG April 16, 1938 – Jan. 21, 2024

Myrna Joy Strong, born on April 16, 1938, left this world on January 21, 2024, surrounded by the love of her family. She was a remarkable soul who touched the lives of many with her kindness, warmth, and boundless love.

Myrna entered a lifelong journey with her beloved husband, Ronald Strong, on March 7, 1959, creating a union that stood the test of time. Together, they shared countless adventures, exploring the beauty of life side by side. Myrna’s joy for life was evident in her love for skiing, camping, jeeping, backpacking, and RVing. Her spirit Read More